Nigerian rock artist wants people to pause and feel loved in the hustle and bustle of Lagos

LAGOS, Nigeria — Valentine's Day can be a secondary consideration for some in Lagos.

The Nigerian city of more than 20 million people is renowned for its hustle and bustle, its restless energy and commercial drive — a place where honks from signature yellow passenger buses fill the air.

But Lagos-based rock musician Bianca Okorocha, known as “Clayrocksu," wants people to pause and feel loved as Valentine's Day approaches.

She is taking her music offstage and onto the streets of the city, crooning love songs to random commuters and handing them single-stem roses.

Their faces, first shocked at the encounter, give way to a broad smile as she pulls the strings of her guitar, twanging to James Blunt’s “You are Beautiful.”

“I am a musician, and we just thought it was a special and nice thing to do for people,” Clayrocksu told The Associated Press. “Especially in this time and climate where everything is kind of difficult and all you hear on the news is bad news.”

Since Nigerian President Bola Tinubu came to power in 2023, he has undertaken major economic reforms, including the removal of a decades-old fuel subsidy program. The government said the changes would save costs and boost investment, but they have resulted in one of the West African nation’s worst cost of living crises in a generation.

The country’s deadly security crisis has also worsened the fate of millions, limiting access to farmland in the conflict-battered north, which in turn resulted in a surge in the prices of goods elsewhere, including in the economic hub of Lagos.

But amid the tough times, people like Clayrocksu are bringing joy and color to many across the vibrant city in this season of love.

Barbara Lulu, a Lagos resident, who got serenaded by Clayrocksu and her partner, was going about her day stressed until the rock team showed up.

“First off, this was a very shocking moment for me, because I never expected it. It just kind of happened, and all I can say is yay!” she said.

In a city where Valentine’s Day is usually focused on lovers, Clayrocksu said that she wants to change that perception and bring roses to many others.

“People think that Valentine’s Day is only about romantic gestures, only boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife,” she said. “But Valentine is really just about sharing love.”